Resumen

The tale of two pandemics: High prevalence of severe obesity among patients with suspected COVID-19

VOLUMEN 7 - NÚMERO 4 / Octubre-Diciembre (Artículos originales / Original articles)  doi: 10.24875/RME.20000047

Alejandra Albarrán-Sánchez, Department of Internal Medicine Service, Specialty Hospital, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico
Juan C. Anda-Garay, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Ciudad de México, México
Luis Guizar, Internal Medicine, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. Ciudad de México, México
Guillermo Flores-Padilla, Internal Medicine, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico
Paolo Alberti-Minutti, Internal Medicine, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico
Maura E. Noyola-García, Internal Medicine, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico
Carlos Contreras-García, Departamento de Medicina Interna, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI Dr. Bernardo Sepúlveda Gutiérrez, IMSS, Ciudad de México, México
Luis A. Sánchez-Hurtado, Intensive Care Unit, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico
Claudia Ramírez-Rentería, Grupo de Trabajo en Neuroendocrinología, Sociedad Mexicana de Nutrición y Endocrinología A.C., Ciudad de México; Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endocrinas, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Especialidades Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, IMSS, Ciudad de México; México

Background: Obesity is frequent in Mexico, but its importance for COVID-19 is still under debate. We aimed to describe its frequency in patients with severe COVID-19 in a referral hospital. Materials and methods: 167 patients hospitalized for suspicious or confirmed COVID-19, 66.7% male with a median age of 54 (interquartile range 43-63) were classified according to BMI and evaluated for comorbidities, coronavirus-2 polymerase chain reaction test results, and reason for discharge. Results: 75.3% of the patients were overweight or obese and 7.8% had grade III obesity. Increasing BMI related to higher probabilities of hyperglycemia (fasting glucose > 100 mg/dL, p = 0.044), but other comorbidities were similar among groups. The mortality rate among patients with Grade I obesity was 11%, whereas 33% of patients with either underweight or Grade III obesity died, depicting a U-shaped mortality curve. Conclusions: Obesity and its comorbidities are common in hospitalized patients in Mexico. Special efforts must be made to detect them, and further interventions to control the obesity pandemic will also be necessary to improve long-term results.

Palabras clave: Coronavirus disease-19. Severe obesity. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Comorbidities.